Rose wins Sydney equestrian title

EQUESTRIAN - Olympic
rider Shane Rose is hoping his winning performance in the Sydney International
will earn him an Australian team berth for the World Equestrian Games.

Rose clinched his second Sydney title on Sunday with victory on the
appropriately named Qualified while his second horse Taurus placed third after
knocking four rails in the show jumping phase.

After missing the London Olympics
due to an injury to Taurus, 41-year-old Rose is firmly focused on adding a
World Equestrian Games medal in France in August to his Olympic silver medal
from Beijing.

"This Sydney (International Equestrian Centre) course is probably the
toughest terrain to ride on and I have ridden all over the world," said
Rose.

"I'm very lucky to have a horse as good as Qualified.

"He just keeps getting better and better and I'm excited for him and his
future.

"Hopefully there is the chance for one of these guys to make it on the
team for Normandy and I'm sure it's going to be a great Australian team."

Rose and Qualified's final score of 53.40 was well clear of second-placed
Jessica Manson and Legal Star (68.20), while the result was 21-year-old
Manson's best at this level.

Olympian Sonja Johnson was the only rider to produce a clear show jumping round
on the final day of competition but refusals on cross country day meant that
Johnson's two horses were left out of the placings and finished fourth and 10th
overall.

"I made the same stupid mistake at a fence on both horses on cross
country," she said. "You know you do it once and you're sort of pretty
cross with yourself.

"I'm going to be berating myself the whole way across the Nullarbor."

Local riders vying for spots on the Australian team for the World Equestrian
Games will have a second opportunity to post a good score at the Melbourne
International Horse Trials while overseas riders will head to the Badminton
Horse Trials in England to stake their claim.

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